Heart's Undoing
by Lua under water
Summary: KelDom. Romance flourishes between a certain lady knight and a certain blue-eyed sergeant during their days at New Hope. Will it continue to do so when duty interrupts love?
1. Default Chapter

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Heart's Undoing

The Time I've lost in wooing,  
In watching and pursuing  
The light that lies  
In women's eyes  
Has been my heart's undoing.  
– Sir Thomas Moore

Chapter 1

Dom's Odd Behaviour

Raoul eyed Dom doubtfully, an eyebrow raised. "What is it that you're asking?"

Dom shuffled his feet and didn't look up from his hand, there must have been something extremely intriguing about the creases in his palm. "Sir, I was only wondering if—if you needed my squad anywhere in particular. Sir."

"Well…" Raoul stroked his chin thoughtfully. It wasn't in Dom's nature to be so anxious, especially in such casual matters as this. There had to be a reason for his agitation. It was nonetheless amusing—but unusual. Raoul paused, and the only sound in the room was the scraping of his calloused hands against his stubble. Finally, he wet his lips with his tongue and placed his hands in front of him on the desk. Something about the way that Dom squirmed while he looked at him seemed to entertain him, "Is there somewhere you think you're needed?"

"Um…I, I thought that perhaps—since, well, the Scanran War is almost over and all, that, ahem, there might be reason for, er—"

Raoul sighed, "Out with it, boy."

"Do you need me at New Hope?" Dom stammered.

Raoul barely concealed his grin. So this was the reason. He had suspected a connection between Dom's strange demeanor and the lady knight-commander of New Hope. Young love, Raoul thought with a smile. Always so foolish. Dom wished to go to New Hope for a chance of seeing Kel. Raoul grinned, fondly remembering the days when he had been so eager and hopeful in matters of love. The very least he could do was find a reason for Dom to go to New Hope to further encourage a relationship between his former squire and his sergeant.

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we'll need you there to…" Raoul chuckled. "Keep the refugees safe. They could always use extra protection, after all. I don't think it will be much trouble if we only send your squad. Kel's perfectly capable, but I'm sure she'll be—" Raoul grinned "—_happy _for the…help."

Dom nodded, a boyish grin on his face, "Thank you."

Raoul's face turned stern, "But the very moment I need you somewhere else, you are to report immediately. I don't want personal matters to hinder your service to the Crown."

Dom nodded, "Of course, sir."

"Go on," Raoul said, motioning for Dom to leave. "Get your squad ready. You'll leave for New Hope tomorrow at sunrise."

"Yes, sir," Dom said before hurrying out the door.

Raoul sighed before sitting down once more. He'd hoped for such a relationship between Kel and Dom ever since she was his squire and he'd seen Dom holding her hand as he inspected blood blisters on her fingers, but it had been simply wishful thinking at that point. As the knight-commander of the King's Own, Raoul had had much more important matters to concern himself with than growing affection between his sergeant and his squire.

He remembered Kel's relationship with a certain Cleon of Kennan. Certainly Kennan was a fine lad, but it had always irritated Raoul that they had to keep it secret in order to avoid rumours. Now that Kel had become a knight, she was mostly free to court anyone she wished.

He had no idea if Kel harbored a romantic interest in Dom, but it was certainly possible. Dom was a worthy man, and Kel had proved her own value time after time. Raoul didn't know how perceptive Kel was in matters of romance, for the only such time he had seen her involved was with Kennan, but with Dom as her suitor—he would more than compensate for her sensibility and pragmatism.

Raoul was certainly no matchmaker, but he considered Kel and Dom a fine pair. They suited each other nicely. And as much as Raoul would have liked for a courtship between Kel and Dom, it wasn't as if he would purposefully arrange it. The least he could do, however, was to send Dom and his squad to New Hope. Perhaps if all went well, Kel would find time to realise Dom's affection for her. He knew that her employment as the commander of New Hope was taking its toll on her spare time.

"I saw Masbolle come in," said a dry voice. Raoul looked up to see the Lioness leaning against the doorframe.

Raoul scowled. "Can you live more than a moment without concerning yourself in Kel's affairs?"

Alanna grinned as she sat in a chair across from Raoul and stretched her legs. "She's my successor, Raoul. Don't I have a right to it?" He was about to object when she added, "Besides, other people's affairs are so much more _interesting _than mine."

"You've picked that up from George, no doubt," Raoul commented wryly.

"As I was saying," Alanna continued, ignoring Raoul's quip. "What did Dom want?"

"Does it matter?" Raoul asked with a groan. When Alanna opened her mouth to answer, he said quickly, "Of course, I forgot. You've made it your business to make Kel's business your business. Excuse my negligence." He smirked. "Sergeant Dom wished to know if I could find a reason to send him to New Hope."

Alanna raised her eyebrows. "He said that, now did he?"

"Well, close enough. He stammered and fidgeted and twitched and asked if he was needed at New Hope."

"So? Did you send him?"

"Of course." Raoul grinned wickedly. "Of course, it is without a doubt that he and Kel will have a joyous, tearful reunion with lots of kisses and tender smiles, and then they'll confess their undying love for each other, and then—"

Alanna laughed and raised her hands in submission. "Alright, I suppose you've earned the right to tease me."

"Again, dear girl, of course. Why do you think I've worked so hard all these years?"

Alanna rolled her eyes and rose. "I'd best be going, then."

"Where to? Corus?"

She shook her head. "No, to the Swoop. It's been a while since I've seen George, and he promised me that he'd find a way to get Thom there as well so I can see him, too. Perhaps even Alan will come for a visit."

"Very reliable, a thief's promise," Raoul murmured. He then ducked and only just avoided a swipe from Alanna.

"I'm going, then. I'll see you."

"Alright, Alanna. Take care."

"Why are we going to New Hope again?"

Dom sighed. It seemed like the fiftieth time he had answered that question, to various members of his squad. "We're going to help Kel."

Wolset blinked. "She needs help?"

"With protection," Dom elaborated, waving his arms wildly as if to illustrate the point. "We're going to aid the defence."

"But…don't they already have enough people to defend New Hope?" Wolset inquired.

"Well…we're going to help anyway," Dom said firmly.

Just as the words left his mouth, a steady drizzle of rain poured down on them from the dark clouds above. Dom ignored the glares from his men and trotted ahead. "It's alright, fellows! A bit of rain won't hurt us."

Lightning cracked loudly, and his horse Starfire whinnied and lurched forward in surprise. Dom, who had been concentrating on cheering up his men, lost his balance and toppled down into the mud below. Although this incident left Dom wet, muddy, and miserable, his men were chuckling and concealing amused smiles behind their hands. Cursing silently, Dom pushed himself back to his feet and reached for Starfire's reins. "It's going to be a long trip," he muttered to himself.

If one had walked into the infirmary at New Hope, they could see from his scowl that Sir Nealan of Queenscove was having a very bad day. His hair was askew and his clothes most surely were those he had worn yesterday. Most probably his constant sighs were because he had missed breakfast and had been forced to plead with the cooks so that they would give him some food.

In the infirmary, his job as a healer seemed to be causing Neal some problems. It was likely that the clench of his jaw was due to a slightly plump woman, who clutched to her side a small boy. "I promise you that the boy has nothing wrong with him," Neal said. He remembered his own days as a boy, when he had tried to pretend that he was sick. Unfortunately for him, he was the son of the most renowned healer in Tortall, and so had never been able to succeed.

"Just send him off to bed for a few hours," Neal told the woman. That would at least give the boy a bit of a sleep in, and might satisfy the mother's need to henpeck.

"Feel his forehead!" the woman insisted. "Feel it!" She was relentless.

Neal was steadily loosing patience. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then laid a hand on the child's forehead. As he had suspected, it was barely even warm. "Do you feel sick?" Neal asked sceptically.

The boy's only response was to shout streams of shocking language at Neal, and when the boy stopped for a breath, the mother would throw in a word or two of her own, for upsetting her "_poor, sick child"._

Neal didn't bother to calm them, they were wasting his time and time was such a valuble resource. He slipped out of the door, leaving one of the minor healers to rid the infirmary of the mother and child while he searched for Kel to inform her of the paucity of poppies in the infirmary, and request that she order some to come with the next lot of supplies.

Walking back to the infirmary, and hoping with all his heart that the mother and child had left, it was easy to marvel at the freedom of a pidgeon as it flew overhead. They weren't particularly majestic creatures but they could _fly_; they weren't bothered at all by duties. Neal even considered maybe adopting the pigeon just as Kel had her miniature featherdusters, but that was before the bird had unceremoniously dropped something wet and sticky on his head. He was none too happy to discover that the substance was bird droppings. He cleaned his hair, but some of the stench still remained, and he had no time to bathe until the evening.

It seemed that dozens of worried wives, idiotic teenaged boys, and frightened pregnant woman chose to besiege Neal on the very same day. He suspected that the refugees had planned this. It was all a conspiracy. Yes, a conspiracy. They were trying to make his life miserable.

Neal had been attempting to mix two very strong medicines into one, with the perfect ratio, when a knock at the door startled him. His hand jerked and one of the potions spilt over his desk. Neal sighed. "Come in," he said tersely, his attention on cleaning up the mess he had made with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt you?" Merric asked teasingly.

Neal scowled. "You might say that."

Merric leaned against the doorframe. "Kel sent me with a message."

"Did she really," Neal murmured, examining the blue stain on his sleeve that had been produced by his attempt to soak up the spilt potion.

"Yes. She said to tell you that Dom is coming here to New Hope."

Neal rolled his eyes. "Not _again_."

"Raoul sent him and his squad for extra protection," Merric continued. "They'll be staying here until they are called to duty elsewhere."

"The last thing I need," Neal muttered, rubbing at the blotted sleeve absently.

"Bad day?" his friend asked.

"Yes," Neal mumbled. "It's all a conspiracy. You, and Kel, and those heartless refugees, and the birds—"

"Birds?" Merric repeated, raising his eyebrows.

Neal glared. "Yes, the birds, too." Changing the subject, he asked, "When will Dom and his squad get here?"

"A few days," Merric replied.

"I hope it rains on him," Neal muttered.

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A/N: And so begins Star's first multi-chaptered KelDom fic. Thanks to the eternity for your wonderful beta-ing work! You are the best. And extra-special thanks to Dom's Lover, for her continuous inspiring-osity and insanity. Unfortunately, you have rubbed off on me. And to you who are reading this, it's not too much trouble to drop me a review!


	2. New Arrivals

Chapter 2: New Arrivals

Kel leaned against the walkway of New Hope, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon eagerly. Raoul had sent her a letter explaining that Dom's squad would be sent to New Hope as a source of extra protection. She had to wonder at this—since the Scanran War had come to an end, military action near New Hope had died down. All was fairly peaceful, and any more defence for the refugee camp seemed unnecessary. Work had commenced on building new homes for the refugees, and soon there would be no apparent use for New Hope.

Stifling a sigh, Kel rested against the firm stone edge. A small part of her hoped that her former knight-master had sent Dom because Raoul had sensed her affection for the sergeant. But that did not cohere. Why would Raoul choose to indulge in Kel's wistful dreaming when she was needed to command New Hope?

She was eager at the prospect of seeing Dom—not only did her terrible crush on him still exist, but if there was an attack on New Hope, his squad would be useful for defending the refugees. Kel sincerely hoped that Dom's presence would not distract her from her duty. Although she had not suffered from such preoccupations in the previous times he had been with her at New Hope, there was no knowing how she might react.

Knights do not daydream, Kel told herself sternly. And especially not about men!

The last thing she needed was a distraction such as a lover. Kel supposed that having a secret crush and sighing over the handsome sergeant could be accepted—as long as she kept the crush and sighing strictly under control. Her first duty was to her people, and she couldn't risk failing them again.

Kel sighed. Even with reassurances from Tobe, Neal, and dozens of the refugees, she still faulted herself for Blayce's attack on New Hope. So many had died, and if she had been there, perhaps she could have prevented some of the deaths.

She smiled as she remembered Neal's exasperated comment when she had been in one of her more miserable self-pitying moods. "You gods-cursed saved the children from the horrible torture of being turned into walking nightmares in the form of metal! What more do you want to accomplish? Can't you be content with that, for Mithros' sake?!"

And her attempt to calm Neal by telling him that it didn't matter hadn't helped.

"Doesn't matter?! Then why do you keep bringing it up? You're so , Kel. I don't think you're human. Tobe, do you know which species she is? Perhaps she's some kind of Immortal."

Kel shook her head and raised her spyglass, peering at the horizon. There, southwest. A group of tiny specks travelling steadily towards New Hope. The fading sunlight glinted off steel. The banner of the Third Company of the King's Own flapped in the wind.

She allowed herself a small smile. This would make things slightly more…interesting.

xxxxxx

Dom rode through the gates of New Hope, a wide grin spreading across his face as he saw Kel waiting to greet him. He trotted Starfire over to her and dismounted. "Lady knight! It's good to see you again."

She smiled. "You, too."

"How is everything here?" Dom asked.

Kel shrugged. "Everything's going well."

An awkward silence followed, during which Kel and Dom both were uncertain of what to say. They both began to speak at once.

"Thank you for—"

"Lord Raoul said—"

Kel blushed. "You go on."

Dom shook his head. "No, ladies first."

Clearing her throat, Kel said, "Thank you for coming."

"It's my pleasure," Dom assured her. After another brief silence, he spoke again. "Well…I'm going to settle in."

"Alright," Kel said, amused with her own shyness but still at a loss of words. "I'll see you." Dom nodded to her and led Starlight over to the stables.

Kel sighed. It seemed that every time she spoke with Dom recently, she made a fool of herself. The feeling was relatively new.

And she didn't like it.

xxxxxx

"…Kel?"

She glanced up abruptly. "Yes?"

Dom met her eyes. "I wondered if you'd like to take a walk with me."

Kel stood quickly and brushed her hands off. "That would be a nice break from grooming Peachblossom," she commented wryly.

As they began to walk, Dom looked up worriedly at the sky. "It looks like it will rain soon," he said, indicating the dark clouds hanging overhead.

Kel sighed. "I need to get the refugees' practice swords inside before they rust."

Dom hesitantly slid his hand into hers. "Relax. I'm sure Tobe will get the swords in."

Feeling something within her quiver, Kel tried to subdue the blush she felt rising in her face. Could Dom possibly mean for them to be more than friends? Or was he merely displaying platonic friendship all of her friends before now had neglected to show?

The silence between them grew, and Kel frantically tried to think of something intelligent to say. "Er…how is Lord Raoul?"

Dom chuckled. "He's alright. Still fussing over Buri. The way he acts around her, you'd think she was fatally ill instead of just pregnant."

Kel couldn't suppress a smile. "Poor Raoul."

"Poor Buri," Dom muttered, earning a laugh and a swat to the head from Kel.

They walked on for a while longer, until Kel realised that it was growing late, and she had duties to complete. She stopped and turned to Dom.

"I should go," she told him.

Dom sighed. "I don't suppose you have a lot of spare time, being in charge here," he said regretfully, waving his hand to indicate New Hope.

Kel grinned wryly. "Not really."

"That's too bad." Dom impulsively took her hands in his. "But this was…nice, Kel. Perhaps we could do it again, sometime."

Kel's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to do it again! "Of course," she heard herself say.

Slowly, deliberately, Dom leaned closer. Kel's heart thudded forcefully against her chest with the effect of their intimacy. Their lips were almost touching… tantalisingly, temptingly close…if he was any nearer, they'd be…

Just as he came in closer, Kel turned her head slightly. Dom's lips grazed her cheeks ever so softly, and he pulled back, obviously disappointed that she had withdrawn from his kiss.

"I'll see you around," he murmured before darting a glance up at the swiftly darkening sky and heading for cover.

The ominous clouds above began to release cold droplets of rain that pattered softly on her surroundings and, unfortunately, on her. She stood there, tilting her face up to the sky and closing her eyes. Raindrops fell against her skin, wet and cool, and spotted her clothes.

Eventually, Kel let a sigh escape her and turned, making her way over to a shelter from the rain. She noticed with displeasure that the practice swords were still lying out, getting wet. Smiling ruefully, Kel collected them and lugged them inside.

xxxxxx

Neal stared at his cousin in open-mouthed disbelief. "You what?!"

Dom tapped his foot impatiently. "I don't see what you find this so particularly astounding about the matter."

Crossing his arms, Neal raised an eyebrow. "Really, Dom. You flirted with my best friend and tried to kiss her, and you think I shouldn't be interested? Mithros, I knew you were stupid, but this…"

"Alright, alright," Dom snapped. "I think I understand where this is going."

"Do you?" Neal scoffed. "What's there to understand?"

Dom was silent for a moment, his eyes clouded with confusion. "What? I thought we were talking about my stupidity."

"Which just proves my point," Neal muttered. When Dom looked at him questioningly, he sighed. "Why'd you do it, Dom?"

"Do what?"

Neal gave his cousin a Look.

"Oh. That." Dom coughed. "Well…I think I'm rather fond of her, Neal."

"As…more than a friend?"

"Yes." Dom's cheeks flushed.

"Ah." Neal leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin. An awkward silence ensued, during which Neal looked thoughtful and Dom looked as if he'd rather be anywhere but there.

Dom coughed. "Ahem. Well, I should be going," he informed Neal, standing.

"Ohh, no, you don't," Neal said quickly, gripping Dom's shoulder and forcing him back into his seat. "We're not done yet." Dom opened his mouth to object, but Neal cut him off. "What are you going to do next?"

"Well…I…I'm not certain," Dom admitted.

"Don't toy with her, Dom," Neal said quietly. "She's not like the others."

Neal had hit on it. Kel was not like the others, indeed.

: :

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A/N: Thanks, everyone, for your reviews, and especially for your patience. My computer crashed, but I should be able to upload and publish Chapter 3 of this and Chapter 2 of Yesterday's Love very, very soon. I promise you, it won't be a very long wait until my next update. Now, please, leave me a review and I'll be happy.


	3. First Signs of Madness

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry but this is the end of this story! I'd intended to make it MUCH longer but I don't have the time, it's not going to happen, so I thought I'd give it a light hearted, hopefully satisfactory ending. PLEASE REVIEW. I'd feel bad if so many people waited so long for an update and now they've all lost interest. Drop me a review on my other stories or email me. Goodbye, Heart's Undoing, it was lovely while it lasted.

Chapter Three: First Signs of Madness

"…don't even know what I'm doing. Things were easier before the men I liked actually began to like me back. Maybe being desirable to them isn't such a good thing after all. I liked it when it was less confusing. I mean. I've always liked men. I had that terrible crush on Neal when I was a page… but now things are more complicated. What am I doing? Should I be doing it? Should I give up? Why am I talking to myself? I never used to talk to myself. I used to be stone. Such a good Yamani. Now I'm disgracing even myself."

"You know, you're right, Kel. I've never heard you talk to yourself before."

Kel turned around and directed the scowl at the perpetrator of this flippant comment. "I was talking to Peachblossom."

"Naturally." Neal stepped closer and leaned casually against the stall, watching Kel work. "You do happen to realise that once things happen, there's no undoing them."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Neal sighed. "Romances happen, Kel. I'm not the sort to advise you not to distract yourself from your oh-so-noble-and-bothersome knightly duties, but it's not all fun and games. It's nothing to raise a fuss over. Yet."

Kel felt like rolling her eyes. "No one's making a fuss over it but you, Sir Nealan, and how exactly did you find out about it in the first place?"

"We may not be as bad as women, but men do tell each other things, particularly family members who can offer advice or other kinds of useful commentary."

"So you've told Dom about the time at the Yule ball when you were dancing with Lady Lucretia and she was wearing that low-cut gown and all of a sudden you—"

"Gods, Kel! Keep your mouth shut!" Neal turned a brilliant shade of crimson. "What I was trying to say is… blast it, I don't even remember. Just be careful. You're still a novice of sorts, you know, where this is concerned. If you need help, you know where to find me. I've had plenty of experience, so consider me a most excellent teacher." Without giving her the opportunity to express doubt of this remark, Neal turned and left Kel to her own muddled thoughts.

xxxxxx

At some point later in the week, Keladry found herself at the end of her rope and decided, in a fit of unusual resolve, to do something about it. She'd spent far too much time lately worrying about what people knew, what Dom thought about it all, what her friends thought, or the tension between her and that certain blue-eyed sergeant. She was by no means experienced as he was, but she at least had the courage to try something.

So eventually, when she was sure they would have time alone to relax and grow comfortable with things, Kel drew Dom aside to talk. They spent quite a while walking along the ramparts of New Hope, the conversation flowing easily, until she found an opportunity to discuss the subject she'd been waiting to broach for days.

"Dom."

"My lady."

She smiled. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" The corners of his lips quirked up.

"Make me smile when I'm trying to say something important."

"Terribly sorry, my dear. Go on, what is so important?"

She bit her lip, suddenly uncertain how to proceed. "Last week…our walk. I don't know what it established, but it established something." Kel paused. "I hope I'm not reading the signals wrong here. But I… oh dear. I'm just not very good at this." She cleared her throat. "So…unless I'm wrong here…"

Dom caught her hands in his and focused his eyes on hers. Unfairly, she thought, since it was hard to concentrate or not look away when his eyes were so lovely and blue. "Kel," he began, seeing at first completely in control and confident, then his words suddenly failed him and he laughed sheepishly, stuck in the same problem she was. "Gods. I thought I was better than this but now I feel like a teenager again." They shared smiles, and he began again. "I'll just get it out—you're reading the signals right. I'm interested in you. Infinitely interested and it's actually not something I can say in two, three, even a dozen words right now."

Kel nodded. "Exactly. Only, you have much more experience in this than I do."

His lips twitched. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that. I have never in all my life met someone quite like you, Kel. So I beg your pardon if I say anything that you don't like, or think things about you that aren't right, or…do something horribly and inexcusably forward, like this."

He leaned in a little and fit his lips against hers. Kel was startled a little at first, she hadn't anticipated this so suddenly, but then she relaxed and admitted it was nice. Quite nice. Beyond nice, really, so she responded and let her hands slide along the sides of his face and gently drape against his neck.

When the kiss ended moments later, they both smiled and laughed a little, like they'd just shared with each other a very important secret.

"We'll be careful."

"Incredibly, most carefully careful."

"We won't let ourselves get too distracted."

"Don't want this to be the cause of anything bad in the end."

"It wouldn't be worth it."

"No indeed."

"We won't raise a clamour over this."

"No, let's leave that up to Neal and his overdramatic personality."

"We'll take it one step at a time."

"Agreed. But Kel, one question."

"What is it?"

"May I do that again?"

"Do what?"

"This."

Their lips met, savoured, and parted.

"You can do that anytime you wish."

\\End/

A/N: okay. So. Update on my life, in case anyone cares. My mum, dad, and ickle sister are all going on a trip to Italy leaving tomorrow getting back Monday after next, so me and Cricket (Dom's Lover for those of you who remember her) are going to be alooooone on our oooown. And I got a new CD, the Clash. And I re-read The Bell Jar. And I get to see Paul on Friday. yay.


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